"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."
- Guillaume Apollinaire
Some happy from my week:
1. The stitches and bandages came out of my mouth, so I'm finally feeling closer to my normal self.
2. The painter has come and begun the prep work for the outside of the house. It really, really needs it. When they're done with the outside (in about 2-3 weeks), they'll start the inside. Checking off two bullet points on my List of Things to Do Before Phoenix's Graduation Party in 2017.
3. My car had a slow leak. As in I had to put air in it twice in 5 days. I finally had time to take it to the tire place on Friday. It was simply a loose valve piece which only cost $10 to fix.
4. I was going to make cookies for Buttercup to take to Mock Trial practice the day before her birthday. When I went to get the chocolate chips out of the pantry, I found only 1/3 of a bag left. Not nearly enough to make a batch of cookies. Thankfully, I had just enough time to make some snickerdoodles. (The dough needs to chill for at least 2 hours.)
5. Bryan takes care of getting the taxes done. I have to do absolutely nothing but cry as I write the check.
6. Phoenix did something very difficult recently (sorry, can't give the details), and I couldn't be more proud of him for doing it.
7. Buttercup turned 16 on Friday. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be her mom.
8. I was able to go to dinner at a Turkish restaurant with the most delicious food with a few of Buttercup's friends and another mom. Seriously, Ya'll, a bunch of 16 year old girls can be loads of fun. (And I think they don't mind a couple of moms hanging out with them.)
9. Phoenix and Buttercup are competing in the State Mock Trial competition this weekend. I was able to see 2 of the 3 trials they did today. It is astounding how professional and smart and awesome they and all the other teens were. And to throw out a little Hurray, Buttercup snagged Best Witness award for one of the trials.
10. Attire is important for Mock Trial. They need to look like real lawyers in a court room. For Regionals, Buttercup borrowed a pencil skirt from a friend and wore a blouse (but more of a casual blouse) and Phoenix just wore his khaki school pants, a red shirt, and a tie. For state, I knew they were worried about what they were going to wear, so on Friday, while they were at school, I went in search of suits for them (without their knowledge). I'll refrain from giving you the blow by blow, but I walked out of the store with suits for both of them, crossing my fingers that they would fit the kids. (Ok, I little blow by blow. I told the clerk (Antonette at JCPenney) that Phoenix wore a 30x34 pant, that he was about 6'2" and 135 pounds. She took it from there and picked out pants (that weren't 30x34, because apparently suit pants fit differently), a jacket, and shirts.)
Guys, everything fit! And even better, the kids were so thankful that I had gotten the suits for them. I was so happy about this that I almost made it my entire Ten Things of Thankful list 1. Phoenix's shirt fit., 2. Phoenix's pants fit. 3. Phoenix's jacket fit. 4. Buttercup's skirt fit....You get the idea. So. stinkin'. happy.
OK, Folks, it's your turn. Pause in your pursuit and tell me why you're happy.
Have a lovely day!
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A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Amycake and the Dude, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, I Want Backsies, The Meaning of Me, Thankful Me, Uncharted, The Wakefield Doctrine
FRIST!!
ReplyDeleteYippee!
DeleteSo glad you got the stitches out of your mouth and you're feeling much better :)
ReplyDeleteIt's good to get a leaky tyre valve sorted. One of my tyres went down so often I had to pump it up every month, and every year I've had a new tyre put on that one wheel - at £75 a time it wasn't cheap, but the problem never seemed to be solved until a few weeks ago when I went to a different place. Another new tyre (the last one was so worn it wasn't even road legal!) plus a complete new valve, which the first place had never bothered checking, and everything is as it should be :)
And well done to Phoenix for doing whatever it was which has made you so proud of him :) :)
You and me both. :)
DeleteSERIOUSLY?! I'd be so irritated! But at least you finally found the solution to the ever-flat tire.
Thanks. It was a super big deal, and a giant relief for me.
Stitches? Oh dear...I will have to peruse your blog again to find out what happen. Yay for Phoenix!!! I hate that you have to pay for air in your tires now. Silly. Mock trials sound fun. It's a thing? Like a competition? That's cool. Congrats, Buttercup for turning 16. Yay for Turkish resturants, birthday parties, and for 16 yr old girls letting their moms come to the party!!! Hubby did our taxes this week, too. If he did everything right, we should be getting money. Yay!!! Linking up this week.
ReplyDeleteYes, stitches. In my mouth. Some minor oral surgery.
DeleteYay for Phoenix indeed!
Ha! I was thinking the same thing as I put more and more quarters into the stupid machine. Worst part is, I was paying for air that couldn't even fill my tires all the way. Our gigantic van tires need 80 psi, but those machines only go as high as 70.
I really can't wrap my head around the fact she's 16.
It was my first time at a Turkish restaurant. It won't be my last!
Will you be doing something fun with the refund?
I'll be finishing up making the rounds to linker uppers tonight!
(Ok, I get the stitches thing… it's the bandages that I'm having trouble visualizing… unless they went totally old school and did the giant-bandage-complete-with-bow-on-head like in the cartoons from the early 20th
ReplyDeletegood busy
painting (especially when done by professional, having no patience to do it myself) is one of the biggest bang-for-the-buck home improvement things I know of… ( "hey! why are we turning in here?!? oh that's right! it's our house") and the smell is so cool. Short of enjoyable food smells (ok, and maybe dryer smell) the smell of new paint is quite pleasing.
Really, the bandages looked like Silly Putty. That was stretched across the outter gum/tooth line across all of my upper molars. Then it hardened. It was soooooooo uncomfortable.
DeleteNew paint smell isn't one of my favorites, except that it means something good is happening around here. It's amazing what a good coat of paint can do for a room.
Bryan and I are very good painters. He worked for a painter for several summers then taught me how. Unfortunately, we don't have the scaffolding needed to tackle the foyer or outside of the house. Or the time. There is a LOT of prep work that needs done out there!
The kids looked so grown up and professional, and I can feel you beaming through the wireless world. Our house needs indoor painting. I'm a terrible painter, and hopefully when last child home finds a new nest, we can get started on that big project. I love that Happy song (one of my Zumba favorites). Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteSeeing them in their suits was only the first inkling of their grown-upness. Seeing them at the Mock Trial and interacting with everyone between trials really hit the point home.
DeleteBryan and I are great painters, but we just don't have the equipment to tackle the foyer or the time to tackle the outside. I imagine that when the kids are grown I'll have a fully decorated house, seeing as how I won't have to worry about the boys destroying whatever I do. Realistically, though, I won't. There will be grandkids to entertain! (With 6 kids, I'm thinking I'll have at least a couple of grandkids, right?) :)
It's one of my favorites! One of these days I'm going to make a point of going to a Zumba class.
Wow. Souch a busy schedule you have.
ReplyDeleteGlad your mouth feels better. I have never had to have stitches in my mouth so I don't how how uncomfortable it would be, but sounds like a major distraction at the least.
So, do any of your kids want to be lawyers when they grow up?
It is busy, but there's plenty of down time, too. :)
DeleteMe, too. I hope you never have to have them. While they aren't the worst thing I've ever had to endure, it was not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination.
Phoenix and Buttercup are considering it. It will be interesting to see what they end up choosing.
I played the video while reading your post. It made me smile. As you intended I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteThe best part is the suits you bought. Awesome that they fit.
Have a fabulous and blessed day. ☺
Glad you liked it. It's a catchy song, isn't it?
DeleteAs I watched the kids at Mock Trial, I kept thinking, "I can't believe those suits fit them!" It was one of the highlights of my week, no doubt.
Yay!! So many positives this week!
ReplyDeleteNow I really want to make some snickerdoodles. We spent the afternoon yesterday baking chocolate chip cookies but I prefer snickerdoodles, I'll have to give your recipe a try sometime.
So many!
DeleteAh, you should. They really are the best cookies in the world.
Oh my. I missed whatever happened with the stitches and bandages! Congrats to Phoenix and Happy belated to Buttercup. I saw the cute little girl photo somewhere, Instagram of FB, too adorable. And congrats to both them them on the SMT competition.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I miss hearing the Happy song all the time. It's in my iTunes so I think I'll play it now.
Not to worry. It was just a bit of oral surgery to remove some gums. :)
DeleteIt was on Facebook. She was a cute little thing. :)
I miss hearing it, too. Why can't radio stations play "old" songs throughout the day with the new ones instead of playing the new ones 50x per day. Oh wait. Do you even listen to the radio anymore? :)
HUGE!!! I'm still amazed and thrilled that I pulled it off. :) They looked so old, didn't they? (I forgot to include the photo here. Oh well.)
ReplyDeleteOh, that wisdom tooth extraction can be rough. Good luck with that! But I understand, just getting it over with will be a relief.
Aw, thank you. That's awfully nice of you to say. We went out to eat for Buttercup's birthday tonight. Throughout dinner and the drive home, they were all chatting about kids from school and giggling with the little boys. When the kids were little, I was worried about having 4 kids in high school together, what with rumors of teen angst and all. I am loving it.
I returned my car to the tire place a month ago because of slow leak too. They fixed it fast. Stay safe.
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ReplyDeleteI love that song....once I had to bring my car in around Christmas and I begged my mechanic to fix it with duct tape it was an awful noise that would stop once the car warmed ...it actually cost me 35 dollars the correct way I felt like doing cartwheels lol
ReplyDeleteMock trials, new suits that fit, work being done, a proud moment. ...many proud moments happy moments and on the road to recovery. Yay
My son displayed some good character behavior and handled something in school that was awkward they know what is right and Im a proud mom too.
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ReplyDeleteI get giddy when car repairs turn out to be something minor and less than a bazillion dollars to fix. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Phoenix and Buttercup looked absolutely amazing and professional in their suits. Well done!!